


Choice of Men

by scribblemoose



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-17
Updated: 2003-01-17
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:05:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblemoose/pseuds/scribblemoose





	Choice of Men

_Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man  
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
Please don't take him just because you can_

_ * * * * * * * _

Quistis spotted Zell right away, as usual. Somehow her eyes were drawn to him whenever they were in the same room. Or the same corridor, like now. She realised Selphie was smirking at her.

"Oh gods, is it that obvious?"

Selphie slipped her arm through Quistis'. "Only to a trained observer," she replied, eyes twinkling. "Why don't you just ask him out?"

"Because we're friends, Selphie. And I'd hate to spoil that. After all, that's why you decided not to go for Irvine, isn't it?"

"Well, kinda. But mostly I could never quite get over the idea that he might just be chalking up another conquest."

"Mmm. Well, he's not wasted any time since he gave up on you, anyway."

"No." There was a wicked smile playing on Selphie's lips.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Come on, Selph, don't be a tease," Quistis's eyes were sparkling; she loved gossip, and Selphie always seemed to find out the juiciest morsels.

"Well," Selphie leaned closer to Quistis, her voice lowering to a whisper, "don't let this go any further, but… you know the other weekend, when we were on monster bashing patrol?"

"You mean the post-lunar cry clean up ops?" Quistis' instructor heart couldn't stop her from correcting Selphie's terminology. "Yes. What of it?"

"Well, you know when we went to the chocobo forest, and the boys went off to the beach?"

"Except Zell. Zell came with us."

"Exactly."

"What? I'm not with you Selph."

"Zell came with us. Rinoa was in class. So who does that leave on the beach?"

"Irvine and… Squall."

"Exactly," Selphie exclaimed with a muted squeal. "Together."

"Yeah… well, that happens. All the time, actually," Quistis added, with a quizzical look at her friend.

"But Squall doesn't usually come back with his shirt on inside out and his hair full of sand!" said Selphie, triumphantly.

Quistis stared at her, goggle-eyed. "No! You're kidding! Irvine and… Squall!"

Selphie nodded. "I can tell, with Irvy," she said. "He gets this look, when he just got laid. All sort of grinning, and he gets dimples."

"Well, I guess I'm not surprised at Irvine… but Squall? I mean, poor Rinoa! Shouldn't we tell her?"

"Nah," shrugged Selphie. "Best to keep out of it. It's not as if it's likely to happen again. Irvy'll have moved on by now. In fact I know he has, I saw Xu sneaking out of his room this morning."

"He's just a slut," said Quistis, disgustedly. "We should report him. I don't care if we all defeated evil together. It's unacceptable, behaving like that."

"Hey, Quisty, lighten up," Selphie gave her arm a little squeeze. "It's just his way. He's always up front about it. He means no harm."

"But what about the people he sleeps with? They might not see it the same way at all. What if one of them were to really fall for him?"

A slight shadow passed over Selphie's face, but Quistis was too cross to notice.

"Like I said, he's upfront about it," said Selphie. "We're all grown ups, hey Quist? Nobody has to sleep with him. They just do."

"But what if Rin found out? She'd be devastated. And how can Squall cope with a thing like that? You know what he's like."

"Yeah. Well, he has been a bit quiet lately. But then, he always is. He loves Rinoa, Quisty. If we tell her we'll be the ones to mess it up. I don't want to do that, do you? They're so happy."

"If they're so happy, why is Squall getting his rocks off with Irvine?"

Selphie considered. "I don't know," she said, eventually. "But it's none of our business. Let's just let Squall work that one out, ok?"

"Well," said Quistis doubtfully, "OK. Although Squall working it out might take a while."

"Anyway, we have other things to worry about," Selphie poked Quistis affectionately (if a little painfully) in the ribs. "Like you and Zell."

"Oh, Selph, leave me alone. It's not going to happen, alright?"

"You're so unromantic. Have some faith, Quisty. Look, I tell you what, why don't we all go out tonight? Everyone's been working really hard lately, we could do with blowing off some steam. There's that new club just opened in Balamb, next to the hotel, we could go there. Dance some."

"Mmm… well, maybe. Do you think everyone would come?"

"They will if I ask them," said Selphie, confidently.

* * * * * * *

Your beauty is beyond compare  
With flaming locks of auburn hair  
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green  
Your smile is like a breath of spring  
Your voice is like the summer rain  
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene

* * * * * * *

Selphie was right, her invitations proved as irresistible as ever. Although everyone except Squall would have been enthusiastic from the start, Quistis reflected, casting her eyes around the busy club, and Rinoa had ways of _making_ Squall enthusiastic.

They were snuggled together in the corner of the booth, Rinoa on his lap, tongues down each others' throats as ever, Squall's hand snaking up her thigh. Quistis sighed. She'd given up on Squall long ago, but there wasn't a woman alive who wouldn't feel a little envious that Rinoa should have all that leather-clad manly goodness to herself, surely.

Although, apparently she didn't. Not if Selphie was right.

Quistis was still struggling with the idea that Irvine would have the audacity to steal Squall from under Rinoa's nose, even if it was just for a couple of hours. Still, Squall seemed to be dealing with it very well. And Rinoa plainly had no idea he might have been playing away from home.

And Irvine would be on to his next conquest, by now. Selphie had been talking about running a sweepstake; there couldn't be many people left in Garden for him to choose from. And it was always a matter of Irvine doing the choosing. He was so beautiful: all that long, burnt-copper hair, long legs, wide, sexy smile. And he was nice. Not just on purpose, to win over some frail body. He was really nice. He'd listen for hours to anyone with a problem, whether he wanted to get in their pants or not. All the time they'd been on the trail of Ultimecia, he'd been a dependable friend, someone you could rely on, ready to soothe away the fear with a few gentle words, a touch. It was only when they got back that he reverted to being a raging slut with nothing but guns and women on his mind. Well, not even the guns these days. And apparently, not only women…

Quistis' eyes were drawn inevitably to the dancefloor, where Irvine was prowling. Of course it wasn't Irvine who'd attracted her attention; as always it was the spiky-haired ball of energy who had come to dominate her every waking moment…

Damn.

Oh no. That just wasn't fair.

Irvine was prowling, all right. Straight for Zell. She watched as the sniper whispered something in Zell's ear, one arm casually stretching across Zell's shoulder…

"Selphie…"

Selphie had spotted them already, and looked to be fuming. "Oh Quisty. Damn the boy!"

"Oh well. It's not like I stood a chance." Quistis vaguely wondered if the bitter disappointment she felt was plain on her face. She hoped not, but something about the warm squeeze Selphie gave her hand made her think it might.

"You could make your move now," said Selphie. "They're only dancing."

Quistis shook her head. "I can't," she said. "That's Irvine up there, king of seduction. I can't compete with that."

_* * * * * * *_

_He talks about you in his sleep  
And there's nothing I can do to keep  
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene  
And I can easily understand  
How you could easily take my man  
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene_

_* * * * * * *_

"Yes, you can," Selphie asserted. "Come on. Follow me."

Deaf to Quistis' protests, Selphie dragged her assertively to the dance floor. Quistis shot a pleading look over her shoulder at Rinoa, but she was paying no attention to anything other than the buckle of one of Squall's belts, and her valiant attempt to tickle his tonsils with her tongue.

"Oh, get a room," Quistis muttered irritably, allowing herself to be pulled towards the object of her desire. And Irvine.

"Hey Irvy," Selphie shouted above the din of the music. "I need your help with something."

Irvine tilted his head to one side. Not letting go of Zell's butt, Quistis noted with a sinking heart. "What?" he asked.

"Um, over here. I… er…"

"Forget it!" Quistis suddenly realised she was about to burst into tears, and had to get away. "Sorry, Irvine, Zell, I…"

She fled.

She ran outside, and leaned, panting, against the railings opposite the club entrance. The air was thick with the smell of the sea, brine and fishing boats; she folded her arms across her breasts, suddenly very cold.

Hyne, but that had been embarrassing.

She brushed a stray tear from her cheek. Damned if she was going to cry. She wouldn't give Irvine the satisfaction.

"Hey. You alright?"

She looked up, startled, to meet bright blue eyes with hers.

"Oh. Hi. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, it got hot, and…"

"You looked upset." Zell ran his fingers anxiously through his blonde crest. "Anything bothering you?"

"Uh.. no. No. Just… hot, is all. Look, you go back, dance with Irvine. I don't want to get in the way."

"In the what?"

"Well, you two were getting pretty close, and I thought…"

"Oh. You noticed that, huh?" Zell made no attempt to hide a grin.

"Yeah." Quistis wished as hard as she could that he'd go away. But he wouldn't, she knew. Not when he thought there was something wrong. He was damn obstinate, that was one of the reasons she'd started to fall in love with him. "I'm pleased for you, really. I understand. Go on," she forced herself to grin at him in what she hoped was a sisterly way, "shoo. Back to all the lovely snipery fun."

"No, well, that is, uh.." Zell fidgeted, almost hopping from foot to foot, "he's… er.. gone with someone else."

"Oh." Quistis' eyes widened. "Really? Already?"

"Er… yes. Bitch, huh?" Zell's blue gaze saddened. "Nobody loves me," he added.

Quistis' heart was racing. She knew a chance when she saw it.

"That's not true," she whispered.

"Well, I know Ma loves me," Zell consented, "and you guys are good friends, but… nobody wants to be with me. Not in that way. You know. Like Rinoa and Squall."

"It's still not true."

"What?" Zell looked at her, confused.

Quistis took a deep breath. "I do," she said.

"No, I mean…"

"I love you," she said. "I have done for a long while."

"But…"

Zell Dincht practically speechless, thought Quistis. That was something worth embarrassing yourself to see.

"In fact," her life was over, she decided, she may as well go the whole hog and finish this off once and for all, "I want to drag you to that hotel and shag you senseless."

He gaped at her.

"But," she set about trying to make some kind of a recovery, "I know you don't feel that way about me. So…"

"Yes I do."

"What?"

"I… feel that way about you. I just never… I mean, never in a million years. Ever. Thought you'd feel like that about me. I'm such a jerk."

"You're not," said Quistis, gently.

"How long…"

"Since that mission in Deling," Quistis confessed. "You were so brave, fighting on when you had nothing left, and then afterwards you just grinned. I didn't think anyone could go to hell and back and just.. grin."

"Wow. Hyne. Oh, sorry… I don't know what to say."

"Let's not say anything," suggested Quistis, overcome with a need to act, now, before this tantalising possibility was snatched away again. "The hotel's right here. What do you say we get a room?"

Zell nodded mutely, accepted her outstretched hand, and followed her like a puppy dog to the hotel.

* * * * * * * *

Quistis lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, one arm curled around Zell's naked shoulder, holding him to her side. She idly traced his tattoo with one finger, enjoying the silkiness of his skin, the pure blonde of his hair…

It had been everything she'd dreamed of.

She'd suspected Zell hadn't had a lot of experience with women, but she hadn't dared hope she might be his first… he was so willing and eager to please, spending ages just stroking her lean body, telling her how beautiful she was, revelling in every new discovery. He'd been only too happy to follow her lead, asking her to show him what pleased her… and he'd felt so good, his kisses like sunshine, warm and sweet, his fit, toned body powerful between her thighs.

When he came, he called out.

But not her name.

Not just an expletive.

"Oh, fuck, god, thanks... Irvine."

That's what he'd called out.

Even now, as he slept, one hand curled softly around her breast, she caught the mutter of Irvine's name as he dreamed.

She felt hollow, and cold, and sad, and tears ran down her face faster than she could brush them away.

  
_* * * * * * *_

_Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man  
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
Please don't take him just because you can_

_* * * * * * *_

"I hope you're pleased with yourself, Irvine Kinneas."

"What?" Irvine raised his head from his book, flinching a little at the angry look on Selphie's face. "Woah, Selph, what have I done?"

"You really have to ask me? Really?"

"Er.. yes?" Irvine adjusted his hat nervously, mentally checking escape routes from the area in case she attacked him. Which, considering the menacing way she was twirling her nunchaka over one shoulder, looked like a distinct possibility.

"Look over there." Selphie pointed to a bench under a big oak tree in the centre of the quad, where Quistis sat, soggy handkerchief twisted in her fingers. "You did that. You and your stupid womanising and… manising." She paused to contemplate whether that was actually a word. "Whatever. I want you to go apologise to her."

"Why? I haven't done anything to hurt Quisty, have I?" To his credit, he looked genuinely surprised.

"Go. Talk. To. Her."

"But…"

"Now!" Selphie cracked the chain of her nunchaka on the wall next to him, like a whip.

"Alright! I'm going!"

_* * * * * * * _

_You could have your choice of men  
But I could never love again  
He's the only one for me, Jolene  
I had to have this talk with you  
My happiness depends on you  
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene_

_* * * * * * *_

"Hey, Quistis."

"Oh. Irvine."

"Mind if I join you?"

She gave him a narrow glare as he sat down. But he sat down anyway. Nothing was scarier than a mad Selphie, not even a mad Quistis.

"As you like," she said, primly.

"Er… Quistis, have I done anything to upset you?"

She looked as if she were about to punch him. Or turn the death glare of blue magic on him. But once her eyes met his, she just crumpled.

He found that happened a lot.

"Oh, Irvy, it's not your fault. It's just…"

"Just what, hun?" he considered extending a friendly arm around her shoulder, but thought better of it. She was giving off definite vibes, and they weren't 'cuddle me, Irvy' vibes.

"It's Zell."

"Oh. What's he done?"

Quistis blew her nose, loudly.

"Look," she sniffed, "this isn't easy for me. I don't like to… interfere. And I wouldn't if he didn't mean so much to me. I just need to know. Are you serious about him?"

"About Zell? Er…"

"Only if you're not, could you tell him? Put him out of his misery? Because I really love him, and I think I could make him happy. But not while he's still lusting after you. I mean," she turned pleading eyes back to his, "it's not as if you _need _him, is it? Not when you've got Xu and Squall and anyone else you want?"

Irvine stared at her.

"Yeah," she carried on, "and you could have anyone, I mean anyone in the whole Garden, so do you really need Zell? Because I love him, and I think he could come to love me eventually and…"

"Woah, Quisty…"

"Is it so selfish of me, really? Just to want one man? Just one?"

"Hang on there, girl," Irvine started to recover himself a little. "You've got this all wrong."

"You were flirting with him, last night. In the club."

"Well, yeah, but it's not what you…"

"I know he didn't stay with you. At least his body didn't." Despite her anguish, Quistis felt a thrill up her spine at the memory of exactly what Zell's body had been doing last night. "But he wants you."

"Fuck. Oh. Quisty, you gotta believe me. I had no idea."

He looked genuinely sorry. She softened towards him, a little. This was still Irvine, after all. They'd been through so much together…

"Irvine, you have to face up to the consequences of your actions a little more," she slipped into instructor mode, bossy Quistis, just a little. "It was only a matter of time before you came across someone who really cared for you more than just a one night stand would fix. Or, in Zell's case, not even that."

"No," Irvine shook his head, "me and Zell have never… no. Oh. I had no idea."

"Well," said Quistis, staring at her feet, miserable. "This is all a bit … difficult, isn't it."

She caught a flash of yellow out of the corner of her eye: Selphie's dress.

"Um… Quistis… Irvine… I think Zell has something to tell us…"

_* * * * * * *_

_Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
I'm begging of you, please don't take my man  
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene  
Please don't take him even though you can  
Jolene, Jolene_

_* * * * * * *_

"I think a picnic was a great idea," Quistis stretched out on the blanket, twirling a buttercup idly between her fingers. "I like it here. Happy memories."

"Yeah, and look at those two," said Selphie, waving negligently with Irvine's hat in the direction of Squall and Rinoa, who were mostly concealed by tall stands of flowers at the edge of the meadow. "It's so sweet."

"It's disgusting," said Zell, teasing Quistis' jawline with a feathery piece of grass. "They ought to get a room."

"Or I should have brought a video camera," mused Irvine. "With a zoom lens."

"You kink," Selphie batted playfully at him with his hat.

"I'm glad they're so happy," said Quistis, with a yawn.

Selphie giggled. "I can't believe we really believed that Squall… and Irvine…"

Quistis and Zell joined the laughter. So much so that Zell had a choking fit and had to be patted on the back.

"I don't see what's not to believe," said Irvine, a little hurt. "I'm not unattractive, you know. And I've always wondered about Squall, with all that leather…"

Selphie thumped him, mostly affectionately, on the arm. "Leave him alone," she said. "He's in love."

"S okay," Irvine cupped her face in his hand, and turned the charm level up to full. "So am I."

Selphie let herself be kissed down onto the blanket, her face the picture of happiness. He looked down at her in full lust mode, and a smug little smile appeared on her lips. "I can't believe you did all that just to make me jealous," she murmured.

Quistis snorted. "Especially Squall. He must have hated putting all that sand in his hair, you know what a bitch it is to get out. And I'd never have guessed he could act like that. He ought to be on the stage."

"It's always the quiet ones," said Selphie. "Hidden talents. Definitely."

"It wasn't easy for me, either," Zell reminded them, settling down with his head in Quistis' lap. "If you hadn't come along and interrupted us I would have been busy pretending to bump and grind with Irvine instead of actually… um.. with.. er… you." He flushed beetroot, which Quistis found adorable.

"Poor darling," she murmured.

"And I wanted so much to explain, when you thought he and I, only I couldn't because then you'd have told Selpihe…And I can't believe I said that out loud. When I…"

It was Irvine's turn to laugh out loud. "I've heard some things in my time," he said, "before I met Selph, obviously," he added hastily, "but to pick that moment, that very moment to _thank_ me."

"Alright, no need to rub it in…" Zell hid his flushing face in Quistis' soft flesh, which she rather enjoyed, as it happened. She reached down reassuring fingers to stroke his hair.

"And then…" Irvine gulped breaths between chuckles, "to have _nightmares_ about me … stealing Quisty away from him…" he looked at Selphie, who promptly caught the giggles from him. They collapsed in a breathless heap on the blanket.

Quistis allowed herself a smile, looking up at a blue sky that went on forever.

It was funny, really. To think that everyone had thought Irvine had been sleeping with everyone else, and really he'd been so lonely and sad and just wanting Selphie… willing to do anything to make her jealous enough to realise she wanted him too… and really he hadn't slept with anyone at all…

There was a part of Quistis that was pleased about that.

The part that remembered a night in Esthar, waiting for the others to rescue Rinoa from Adel; copper-bright hair blazing in the firelight, falling over her face as soft lips met hers. Warm arms about her, not the arms she wanted, or the body he wanted to hold, but comfort after confessions, relief from loneliness and fear on a cold night.

She looked over at him, caught his eye as he wrapped Selphie in his arms.

In the summer sunshine of the flower field, far away from the bitter, desperate battle to defeat the sorceress, Irvine winked at her. And Quistis felt pleased, that Irvine was still Irvine after all, and Selphie was with him, and the sound of Squall and Rinoa, at it like rabbits, was soft on the breeze…

… her attention was drawn, as ever, to the mass of vibrant energy, innocence and loyalty that was Zell, fast asleep in her lap.

"Mmmm…." he whispered, nuzzling her thigh. "Squall….."


End file.
